Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what companies were awarded the contract for providing watermarked paper for voter ID documents; and what is the deadline for this paper being supplied.
Answered by Lee Rowley
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of Government contracts awarded greater than £10,000 are published on contracts finder.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2022 to Question 17012 on Elections: Proof of Identity, when he plans to publish details on the implementation of voter ID cards.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recently published a letter to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee regarding the Elections Act 2022. It sets out details about voter identification and the Voter Authority Certificate, the link to the published letter can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-to-the-chair-of-the-public-administration-and-constitutional-affairs-committee-regarding-the-elections-act-2022.
Further details on implementation and commencement will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment his Department has made of the financial position of Spelthorne Council.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
It is the responsibility of all local authorities to manage their own finances and ensure that they set and maintain a balanced budget position. It is also for local authorities to determine their own borrowing and investment strategies, but in doing so they have to appropriately comply with the Prudential Framework and its four statutory Codes. The government has made clear that authorities should not borrow to invest for profit. The government is taking actions to strengthen the capital system and continues to monitor risks across the sector including local authorities’ borrowing profile and associated risks, and engages with individual local authorities where appropriate.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the comparative cost of a new local authority-built (a) two bedroom flat and (b) a three bedroom house.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government recognises the cost of delivering affordable housing and has given councils the tools they need to build more homes. In the Levelling Up White Paper, we committed to reviewing how to support councils to deliver in greater numbers, alongside housing associations.
It is for councils to determine the size, type and tenure of the homes they build.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to penalise and expose rogue landlords; and what progress has been made on the register of such landlords since the Housing and Planning Act 2016 came into force.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers to protect tenants from landlords that do not fulfil their legal obligations. The Housing Act 2004 gives powers to local authorities to regulate and enforce standards in the private rented sector. The Housing and Planning Act 2016 further introduced civil penalties of up to £30,000 and banning orders for use against the worst and most persistent offenders. Legislation also extended rent repayment orders which require a landlord to repay rent when they have not complied with the law.
In April 2018, using powers under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, we also introduced a national database of rogue landlords and property agents. Where a landlord has received a banning order the local authority must place them on the database. Where the landlord has received a conviction for a banning order offence or two or more civil penalties for housing related offences then the local authority has discretion to make an entry.
As set out in the Queen’s Speech, the Government has committed to bringing in a Better Deal for Renters to deliver a fairer and more effective rental market that works for both tenants and landlords. This includes bringing forward reforms to drive improvements in standards in rented accommodation, ensuring well targeted, effective enforcement that drives out criminal landlords.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding the Black Country Flag to those displayed on County Flags Day.
Answered by Luke Hall
The Government attaches great importance to the history and traditions of this country and we recognise that the tapestry of our historic counties is one of the bonds that draws the nation together. The flying of the registered flags in Parliament Square to mark Historic County Flags Day is the centrepiece of this national celebration of the role of the historic counties. We have no plans to celebrate or raise in Parliament Square regional flags like those of the Black Country, though we recognise the historical significance of such areas and would welcome local partners celebrating them if they choose to do so.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his Answer of 20 April 2021 to Question 178793 on the Prudential Framework, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the prudential framework for dealing with investments made by Thurrock Council.
Answered by Luke Hall
Local authorities are responsible for their own commercial investment strategies and are accountable to their electorate. Nevertheless, in making investments, authorities must ensure they comply with the Prudential Framework, including the four statutory codes.
Recent changes to the operation of the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) are designed to stop local authorities from accessing PWLB borrowing if they are planning on undertaking investments primarily for yield. Government is also working closely with CIPFA on its revised statutory Prudential Code. Further, Government is currently reviewing all elements of the Prudential Framework to ensure they are fit for purpose.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his Answer of 20 April 2021 to Question 178793 on the Prudential Framework, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the prudential framework for dealing with the investments by Thurrock Council.
Answered by Luke Hall
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of local authorities in England that have invested in funds of (a) Greensill Capital and (b) Archegos Capital Management.
Answered by Luke Hall
Under the Prudential Framework, which governs how councils borrow and invest, local authorities are free to determine their own capital strategies and have wide freedoms to invest provided they do so within the bounds of the Framework. This is on the basis that authorities are best placed to make local capital decisions and to ensure their own prudent financial management. It also ensures that councils remain accountable for their decisions
The Government has responsibility for the Prudential Framework to ensure it remains fit for purpose in driving sound investment decisions and constraining risk. However, the Government does not play any role in local decision making. Commensurate to its stewardship role, the Government does collect aggregate data on local authority investments, but does not collect data on investments in individual funds.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, apart from Case Studies A, B and C in the Liverpool City Council: Best Value inspection report published on 24 March 2021, (a) how many other case studies were undertaken and (b) were they reported to his Department.
Answered by Luke Hall
I am not aware of any additional case studies that were produced during the independent Best Value Inspection of Liverpool City Council.